den,
Langhorn's Chronicle, Leland's Collections, Powel's History of Wales,
the Saxon Chronicle, Simeon of Durham, and her curious life, written in
old English metre, from the Passionary of the monastery of Chester, by
Henry Bradshaw, a monk of that house, who died in 1521, on whom see
Wood, Athen. Oxon., vol. 1, p. 9, n. 14, and Tanner, Bibl. p. 121. This
scarce history was printed in 1521, by Richard Pynson, printer to king
Henry VIII. See her ancient life, a MS. copy of which Camden sent to F.
Rosweide, published by Henschenius, with notes, p. 386. See also the
summary of the life of St. Wereburge, with an historical account of the
images carved on her shine, (now the episcopal throne,) in the choir of
the cathedral of Chester, by William Cooper, M.D., at Chester 1749.

Seventh Age.

ST. WEREBURGE was daughter of Wulfere, king of Mercia, by St. Ermenilde,
daughter of Ercombert, king of Kent, and St. Sexburge. In her was
centred the royal blood of all the chief Saxon kings; but her glory was
the contempt of a vain world, even from her cradle, on the pure motive
of the love of God. She had three brothers, Wulfade and Rufin, who died
martyrs, and Kenred, who ended his life at Rome in the odor of sanctity.
Her father, Wulfere, resided near Stone, in Staffordshire. His eldest
brother, Peada, had begun to plant the faith in Mercia. Wulfere promised
at his marriage to extirpate the remains of idolatry, and was then a
Christian; but worldly motives made him delay the performance of his
promise. Ermenilde endeavored to soften the fierceness of his temper;
but she found it a far more easy task to dispose the minds of her tender
nursery to be faithful to divine grace; and, under her care, all her
children grew up fruitful plants in the garden of the saints. Wereburge
excelled the rest in fervor and discretion. She was humble, obedient,
and meek; never failed of assisting with her mother at the daily
performance of the whole church office; besides spending many hours on
her knees in private devotion in her closet. She eagerly listened to
every instruction and exhortation of piety. At an age in which youth is
the fondest of recreations, pleasures, and vanities, she was always
grave, reserved, and mortified. She was a stranger to any joy but that
which the purity of her conscience afforded her; and in holy compunction
bewailed before God, without ceasing, her distance from him, and her
other spiritual miseries. She trembled at the